Seminar on budgetary priorities of water, sanitation held

Access to safe drinking water, adequate sanitation and improved hygiene are vital to human development and well being. This was stated by Erum Syed, a researcher and in charge Budget Research Cell, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam. She was speaking at a seminar on budgetary priorities of water and sanitation in public sector spending in Sindh.
The seminar was organised by Faculty of Agricultural Social Sciences, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam in collaboration with Water Aid Pakistan on Tuesday. She said that a recent study by World Bank on cost of environmental degradation in Pakistan shows the annual cost of degradation is equal to 6 percent of GDP and more than half of which is due to water and sanitation.
She further said that around 50 million people mostly in rural areas of Pakistan are practising open defecation and compromising on health and dignity. Therefore, governments should prioritise water, sanitation and health and hygiene in its policy, planning and budget making.
Dr Fateh M Marri, an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics, in his remarks said that Government of Pakistan in response to the targets of Millennium Development Goals and considering the national priorities has approved national drinking water policy in 2009 and developed guidelines for sanitation, which need a budgetary commitment at federal and specially at provincial levels.
He further said that governments in the process of reconstruction and rehabilitation after flood devastation should incorporate sanitation and waste management plans at early stage of reconstruction planning. Professor Khalid Ahmed Mahar, Dean, Faculty of Agricultural Social Sciences appreciated the interest of faculty members and post-graduate students in genuine issues of the people at grass root level and encouraged them to conduct research on policy issues and find solutions for government and civil society organisations to follow. Professor Mahar, Professor Dr Fateh M Soomro and Ms Tehmina Mustafa, Chairperson, Department of Agricultural Economics also shared their views and offered comments and suggestions.